Match book



Sept. 6, 1938. F. J. REDCLIFFE MATCH BOOK Filed Feb. 19, 1938 I v .INVENTQR i'mderzdmr BY E ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 6, 1938 Q UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in match packages of the type commonly referred to as match books, and has for its object the provision of a book of this character which can be readily opened or closed with onehand and which by reason of its construction, may be provided with advertising means tending to immeasurably increase the advertising value of the book.

In match books of the character constructed at the present time, the face portion of the cover flap and the back of the covering are generally employed as areas within which printed advertising matter may be produced. Since the cover flap is movable and is usually folded back when a match is being removed from a book, the advertising value of the face of the cover flap of a match book of this conventional construction is decreased considerably since the cover flap and other surfaces upon which the advertising matter is printed are generally inconveniently located while the match book is being used.

The primary object of this invention therefore is to provide a match book of such construction that a considerable portion of the advertising matter printed or displayed on it, and particularly a silhouette outline of the principal article to be advertised, will be arranged and disposed in a fixed position to constantly confront the observer,

or user of the match book at all times, whether the book is lying upon a table or whether he is removing a match from the book, or striking the match so removed. In other words, the principal object or article advertised on the book will be located in a. prominent, fixed position and be effectively presented to the user of the book at all times. I am aware that prior to this invention efiorts have been made to utilize portions of the covering of match books as advertising media, by cutting or shaping portions of said covering to outline or define in silhouette, an article to be advertised. In such prior uses however, the portions of the covering so utilized were either parts of the movable cover flap or were foldable extensions on the body of the covering intended to swing in or out of display position when the cover flap was moved. In the first instance the advertising element or silhouette was a movable member, visible for display only when the cover member was closed; in the second instance the advertising elements constituted extensions on the covering tending to greatly increase the over-all size of the covering and the inconvenience in using the match book. With the structure forming the subject matter of this invention, the

silhouetteoutline is in fixed position and always visible; it never projects beyond the normal cover outline; it requires no abnormal manner of use of the book, and does not expose the heads of the matches while the book is in closed position.

In the accompanying drawing wherein an embodiment of the invention is shown, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a match book made in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a front view of a similar match book also embodying the invention; and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the book of Fig. 1.

The book includes the usual comb-like section of matches indicated at I and the matches are enclosed in a covering strip composed of any 1!! suitable flexible material such as cardboard or the like. The covering strip 2 is transversely folded at 3 to produce an upturned, cover-retaining flap 4. A staple or other equivalent fastening element 5 extends through the retaining flap 4, through the lower end portion of the match comb and through the back 6 of the covering. The covering is also transversely folded at l and 8 to provide a top panel 9 which may be coated or otherwise treated to produce an abrasive 'matchstriking surface Ill, upon'which matches taken from the comb I may be ignited. The transverse fold 8 in the covering produces a downwardly extending movable cover flap H which co-operates with the panel 9 in extending over and protecting the heads I2 of the matches of the comb.

It will be seen that the retaining flap 4 is of greater length than the cover flap H and that its upwardly extending portion I3 is preferably of less width than the remainder of the covering and of less width than the match comb. Said upwardly extending portion I3 constitutes a tab member and is shaped to define in outline or silhouette, any article sought to be advertised. The portion l3 forming such a projecting ornamental tab, may be colored to clearly and effectively represent in outline and pictorially, any article to be advertised. If the coloring of this tab portion i3 is arranged to contrast with a colored background composed in whole or in part of the matches as well as the cover flap l I, a very effective advertising medium is provided, since the silhouetted article advertised will stand out in well-defined relationship to the rest of the book. The value of using the upwardly extending portion of the retaining flap 8 as a means for showing in silhouette an article to be advertised, is due also to the fact that this portion of the covering remains stationary and is in clear view of the match book user both while he is engaged in taking a match from the package and while the match book is lying upon a table or other support.

The cover flap l I engages behind the upper end portion of the tab-like extension l3 and is thereby retained in closed position. The striking surface IIJ, being located at the top of the book is in such. a position that it requires that the cover flap be closed before a match is ignited, and even if a match is ignited upon the surface while the cover flap is open, the body of the covering will be interposed between the flame and the heads of the matches in the book.

In the structure of Fig. 2, a modification is suggested wherein the tab-like portion 13, instead of being formed integrally with the retaining flap 3, consists of a separate piece of material having its lower end extended behind the normally-shaped retaining flap as indicated at M in dotted lines, said portion l4 so extending behind the retaining flap being held in place by the staple 5.

What I claim is:

1. An article of the character described, comprising a match book having a covering composed of a single strip of flexible material transversely folded to form it into a back, a cover flap and a retaining fiap, the cover flap being of a length less than half the length of the back, the retaining flap having an upward extension constituting the major'portion of the front wall of the book and formed with a profile representation of an article to be advertised, the cover flap having a free end adapted to be engaged in back of the free end of said profilerepresentation to hold the cover in closed position, said profile representation being disposed in fixed position relative to the matches in the book and visible whether the cover flap is open or closed.

2. An article of the character described, comprising a match book having a comb-like section of matches, a covering therefor comprising a single section of flexible material transversely folded to divide it into a back, a movable cover flap and a retaining flap, the cover flap being of a length less than half the length of the back, said retaining flap being formed with an upward extension constituting a silhouette outline of an article to be advertised and constituting the major portion of the front wall of the book, said upward extension overlying the front of the match comb and adapted to engage the free end of the cover flap to hold the same in closed position and disposed in fixed relation to the match comb regardless of whether the cover flap is opened or closed.

3. An article of the character described, comprising a match book having a comb-like section of matches, a. covering therefor comprising a single section of flexible material transversely folded to divide it into a back, a movable cover flap and a retaining flap, the cover flap being of a length less than half the length of the back, said retaining fiap being formed with an upward extension constituting the major portion of the front wall of the book and adapted to engage the free end of the cover flap to hold the cover flap in closed position, said upward extension constituting a silhouette outline of an article to be advertised, overlying the front of the match comb and disposed in fixed relationship thereto, said relationship being unchanged whether the cover fiap is open or closed, the free end of the silhouette outline being located below the heads of the matches in the comb.

4. An article of the character described, comprising a match book having a relatively short cover flap, a relatively long retaining flap behind which the end of the cover flap is tucked to hold the cover flap in closed position and constitutingthe major portion of the front side of the match book, the retaining flap having a portion formed to simulate in silhouette, an article to be advertised, said portion being in fixed relation to the matches in the book.

5. An article of the character described, comprising a match book having a relatively short cover flap, a relatively long retaining flap occupying the major portion of the front side of the match book and behind which the end of the cover flap is tucked to hold the cover flap in closed position, the retaining flap including a fixed part shaped to simulate in silhouette an article to be advertised, the free end of the silhouette being located below and in proximity of the heads of the matches in the book whereby the 2 matches are available for grasping to remove them from the book, said silhouette portion being visible for display purposes whether the cover flap is open or closed.

FREDERICK J. REDCLIFF'E. 

